Washington, DC – We attended a conference recently and learned about an emerging new alternative in disease protection called “HP” – short for “HomeoProphylaxis”. Around here we like to refer to it simply as a “Smart Choice”, because with all the debate around vaccines and questions regarding their safety, an alternative free from such concerns is most welcome.

The “Smart Choice” is being used by millions worldwide – no surprise, given it is non-toxic and highly effective. Fortunately the organizers of the conference filmed it for a series of presentation videos and have made each available to CFH supporters at a reduced rate – $13.95 vs. the usual $39.95. There are also several presenters, including leading U.S. vaccine rights attorney Alan Phillips, and leading medical researcher Neil Z. Miller, who share some little known and eye-opening facts vaccine science and law.

To learn more and see a preview of all the speakers, click on the screen image below or visit the HP WORLDWIDE CHOICE STORE. To get your Citizens for Health discount, enter the promo code CITIZENS35 when you make a purchase before February 14. A bonus: 10% of what you spend is donated to CFH!

We think we can all agree we’re due for a Smart Choice – now it looks like we have one, and another way to preserve our health freedom.

Please take a moment to share this information with anyone interested in an alternative to vaccines – spread the word on health freedom!

[For access to HP, or if you’re a healthcare provider and want to add HP to your practice, please contact Cilla Whatcott by visiting www.WorldwideChoice.org. Program access is also available through www.HPWWC.org.]

The American Medical Association’s latest attempt to shore up their medical monopoly could have stiff consequences for practitioners who don’t toe the line. Action Alert!

Angered by what they call “quack MDs,” the AMA recently decided to “actively defend the profession.” In particular, it plansto

create ethical guidelines for physicians in the media, write a report on how doctors may be disciplined for violating medical ethics through their press involvement, and release a public statement denouncing the dissemination of dubious medical information through the radio, TV, newspapers, or websites.

Dr. Mehmet Oz of The Dr. Oz Show was specifically mentioned as being responsible for the type of behavior and “pseudoscience” that the AMA would like to curtail.

One of people who helped craft the AMA resolution to tighten control of doctors in the media is not, in fact, a physician himself, but only a medical student. He told Vox in an interview that “Dr. Oz has something like 4 million viewers a day. The average physician doesn’t see a million patients in their [sic] lifetime. That’s why organized medicine should be taking action.” In point of fact, Dr. Oz reaches only half that number—but let’s not let a little thing like accuracy stand in the way of an agenda.

Keep in mind that the AMA is not the voice of the medical profession. Its membership has slipped to the point where it represents only 17% of MDs, and many of those are free memberships given to medical students, yet it remains the fifth most powerful special interest on Capitol Hill, spending $19.7 million on lobbying in 2014. This gives it the clout to influence Medicare prices, make recommendations that shape national policy, and rake in about $218.8 million a year from its government-granted CPT medical code monopoly.

Dr. Oz is a high-profile example, but countless integrative doctors in states across the country routinely face harassment and the threat of having their licenses revoked by state medical boards for the most specious reasons—you may recall our past coverage of the Washington state board’s appalling crusade against Dr. Jonathan Wright as only one example among many. But when conventional doctors engage in behavior that is similar to that of integrative physicians—or when conventional docs flout the laws in the most egregious ways—state boards are far more lenient, if any action is taken at all.

The bias, then, is already overwhelmingly against integrative practitioners, and now the AMA is looking to take further steps to silence them. What will happen to doctors who don’t unflinchingly support the CDC vaccine regime, or who inform their patients of any alternative treatment that clashes with conventional orthodoxy? In Europe, it is already illegal for doctors to use the terms “probiotic,” “superfood,” and “antioxidant” when used in relation to commercial food products or supplements—and European doctors who even mention the benefits or health claims of any food, supplement, or non-drug product to patients face jail time. Will we allow free professional speech to be similarly suppressed here? Has the US come to this?

The only way that medical care advances and gradually becomes more scientific is by challenging orthodoxy. Doctors killed George Washington by repeatedly bleeding him. The doctor who first told physicians to wash their hands was scorned and harassed. The doctor who first found bacterial involvement in stomach ulcerswas vilified until he was eventually exonerated and given prizes. As Gary Null showed so effectively in his book Death by Medicine, medical error is today the largest single cause of death in the US. How can there be advances or improvements if critics, researchers, and innovators are all gagged?

At ANH-USA, we believe in a free and open market when it comes to healthcare choices. By doing what it can to gag doctors’ free speech in the media, the AMA is indeed attempting to “defend the profession”—albeit from competition and change, not from those it dismisses as “quacks.”

Action Alert! Write to the American Medical Association and urge them not to go forward with these speech-suppressing ethical guidelines, which will unduly restrict our access to health information. We need to let them know that the American public will not stand for it. Please send your message immediately.

– See more and preserve your health freedom at: http://healthimpactnews.com/2015/ama-prepares-gag-order-for-medical-dissenters/#sthash.9qaMNrMg.dpuf

The Medical Establishment’s “Favorite” Doctor and His Crusade Against Supplements and Alternative Medicine

Paul Offit’s new book and media blitz pretend to be objective, but really offer one-sided bashing of natural healthcare.

Dr. Paul Offit, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at? Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia? has authored a new book, Do You Believe in Magic? The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine (Harper, 2013 ). Now on the stump, he encourages thinking more critically about healthcare treatments. Too bad his is a one-sided view. And that his intended audience is unlikely to be convinced because health information has been increasingly available over the last 25 years. Nor do many physicians and prominent medical organizations subscribe to his views (although a few legislators do).

“People are systematically choosing to manage their own health in a way that is unprecedented,” points out James S. Turner, chairman of Citizens for Health, a health advocacy group with over 100,000 members. “The conventional treatments that Offit champions are often very helpful. The problem is that the industry has oversold them, and more and more people see that now.”

If Offit’s book had aimed to explore all health options even-handedly for their upsides and their downsides, it might have truly advanced the conversation about how to better health and lower healthcare costs. (And ranking below 16 developed nations across the lifespan and for all income levels, while stuck in the midst of a polarized debate over costs and coverage, the U.S. sorely needs that conversation.) But instead, in his book and media tour, Dr. Offit plays the predictable role of debunker, single-mindedly championing his own medical brand. Unfurling an arch skepticism about the use of herbs and other nutritional supplements, for example, Offit presents himself as the stalwart for science. But it’s instructive to see what happens when he encounters someone conversant with the health literature.

It’s now officially Spring – even if your area hasn’t quite caught up yet. With Spring comes visions of picnics, BBQs and other time-tested outdoor activities…Like golf!

Are you a budding pro? A duffer? Or perhaps you couldn’t tell the difference between an iron and a wood with both hands and a flashlight?

It doesn’t matter! Mark your calendar for the Golfers Going Green two-person scramble, to be held Saturday, April 20, at Oceana Golf Club. It’s a 10 AM shotgun start and your $60 team registration includes golf, cart, food and prizes. Best of all: Proceeds will be donated to Citizens for Health!

How you can be involved:

–Compete! The limit is 60 teams, so act now – you can register by calling the Club at (231) 861-4211.

–Sponsor a tee sign! $100 gets you a professionally designed 24″x18″ full-color two-sided sign with your message. Advertise your business, an issue important to you, or say hi to friends or family. We hope this event will be an annual one, and those who sponsor signs this year will get a chance to do so again next year at half the cost. To sponsor a sign, contact organizer Jim Kueny at (231) 670-6211, or email him at golfersgoinggreen@gmail.com. Check out an example of a tee sign here.

—Get a “tee”-shirt! Let people know you support issues of sustainability by sporting this special event tee for $22 – and remember, proceeds go to CFH. Order one here. Have it waiting for you at the event, or have it sent to you if you can’t attend. Buying a shirt also earns you a free golf cart voucher for your next 9 holes at Oceana!

This is a truly “green” family event, fun and educational. Green event sponsors and vendors, recycled golf balls, issue-oriented signs throughout the course – event organizer Jim Kueny has pulled out all the stops to make this enjoyable for everyone. Easy and tough pin placements, great food and prizes – and all to support CFH’s efforts to preserve and expand your right to make informed decisions about what you feed to your families.

Committed to spreading the word about nutrition and sustainable practices, Mr. Kueny has made it his life’s work to help people eat smart and stay healthy – so “naturally” he asked us to help him get the word out and chose CFH to be the beneficiary of his efforts.

Help Jim help us – to help you! Share this with your friends who care about healthy food and urge them to get involved. If local, get them to register. If not, suggest they buy a t-shirt or sponsor a tee sign. And, of course, we hope to see you there.

For further information or questions, please contact Jim Kueny at (231) 670-6211, or email him at golfersgoinggreen@gmail.com. And check out the event page on Facebook.

“It’s time to commit to programs that will serve our troops with the same fidelity with which they serve us.

Since 2001, more United States troops have died from suicide than have been killed in Afghanistan. The Army estimates that up to 20 percent of those deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan — half a million men and women — will suffer the disabling agitation, nightmares, and emotional withdrawal that characterize post traumatic stress. Military leaders, the Secretary of Defense, the President, and Congress speak of the gravity of the problem and the inadequacy of present approaches to care.”

Dr. Gordon goes on to note that solutions to PTSD proposed by Department of Defense and Institute of Medicine experts are reasonable, but fall short, and may actually alienate those they’re intended to help. Read more of his insightful commentary derived from more than two decades of experience in issues of psychological healing – check out the full article here.

The Illinois’ nutrition community bill (SB 2936) we told you about over the last week has passed the Illinois House of Representatives by a vote of 102 to 7, with two abstentions. Translation: The bill has passed and now awaits Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s signature!

In an exception to the normal legislative procedures, a second and a third bill reading fortunately occurred on one day, today, after the bill was passed unanimously by the Illinois Senate on November 29th and by the House Licensing Committee earlier this week.

To recap, current Illinois law allows a near-monopoly for dietitians, but, with Governor Quinn’s signature, SB 2936 will open up access to other qualified health professionals. For many years now the American Dietetic Association (now re-named the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, or AND) has been working hard to monopolize all communications and information provided to consumers about nutrition and dietary supplements.

The dieticians’ lobby seeks to not just prevent laypeople from providing dietary advice, but non-RD health professionals as well! The heart of the problem is this: Unlike many health professions, “nutrition advice” is not a single profession, but is a tool-set legitimately used by many professionals. Those professionals include nutritionists, medical doctors, chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists, health coaches, and many more, some of whom are much more qualified to provide such information!

The bill will:

Change current law from an RD-only law, to one that permits a wider variety of nutrition education and allows other nutrition exams and credentials (the CNS, CCN, and DACBN).

According to the American Nutrition Association (ANA), an organization which represents the majority of the nutrition community: “This bill doesn’t correct every provision of current law we sought to change. However, the significance of rolling back a monopolistic RD practice law to one which includes other nutritionists and exemptions, is immense.”

Governor Quinn will want to consider what is at stake here — will we have only the dietetics version of nutrition advice in Illinois or will The Land of Lincoln have broader access to nutrition advice? The dieticians’ lobby is bringing all the money and forces they can to prevent this good bill from being signed!

We have an excellent chance of winning, but only if Governor Quinn is aware of how important this bill is to Illinois consumers and, by extension, for health freedom.

A special thanks goes out to the following sponsoring Senators: Iris Martinez (the bill’s main sponsor), Michael Noland, Ron Sandack, Jacqueline Collins, Emil Jones III, Mattie Hunter and Donna Trotter. Thanks are also due to the sponsoring Representatives: Angelo Saviano, Michael Zalewski, Michael McAuliffe and Brandon Phelps.

Although it didn’t matter when all was said and done, the following Illinois House members inexplicably voted against this historic bill: Pihos, Chapa LaVia, Northland, Franks, Farnham, Durkin and Sente. Two Representatives took no position (but were present): Connelly and Mussman.

Ending a dietetics monopoly and ensuring protection for a diverse range of nutrition care providers for Americans is underway. This will be a milestone step for Illinois if their Governor signs it.

Just as the 1964 Civil Rights legislation guaranteed that Rosa Parks would no longer have to sit in the back of the bus, the controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, euphemistically known as Obamacare, will guarantee your right as a patient to have a freedom of choice where you sit in the medical bus.

Chiropractic care has been welcomed by both patients and insurers in this era of evidence-based healthcare that has repeatedly shown the safety, popularity, as well as the clinical-effectiveness of this brand of “hands-on” spine care.

It will also save a lot of money. Musculoskeletal disorders alone currently affect 44.6 million Americans and cost our society an estimated $267.2 billion every year.

Since the early 1990s, research showed that the medical treatments for low back pain were expensive and inappropriate for the majority of cases. In fact, the Dartmouth Institute of Health Policy suggested 30-40% of spinal fusion surgeries were unnecessary.

Moreover, a prominent orthopedist admitted that back surgery “has been accused of leaving more tragic human wreckage in its wake than any other operation in history.” A notable medical journalist minced no words when he recently stated, “Spinal medicine [drugs, shots, surgery] in the US is a poster child for inefficient spine care.”

Today research studies cannot be clearer that chiropractic care stands at the top of spinal treatments as Anthony Rosner, PhD, testified before The Institute of Medicine: “Today, we can argue that chiropractic care, at least for back pain, appears to have vaulted from last to first place as a treatment option.”

After decades of unwarranted medical defamation, this change in attitude highlights decades of controversial medical spine treatments consisting of narcotic drugs, epidural steroid injections, and spine fusion surgery that have all come under increasing criticism.

Despite this evidence-based research that shows chiropractic’s superiority for the majority of back pain cases, long-established medical associations that have dominated this market still resist the inclusion of chiropractic care.

However, this impediment may prove to be inconsequential considering Section 2706 of Obamacare, the so-called provider “Non-Discrimination in Health Care” clause that will apply to all insurance programs.

Fundamentally, Section 2706 prevents plans from arbitrarily excluding the participation and coverage of categories of non-MD providers in their health plans when this participation is within their scope of practice and licensure.

What can we conclude now about the role of chiropractic in Obamacare? Certainly the evidence-based cost-effectiveness trend will continue to support the inclusion of chiropractic care and Section 2706 will protect chiropractors and their patients from unwieldy restrictions as we’ve seen in the past.

On October 20th, 2012, the Natural Health Research Institute (NHRI) held its 8th Annual NHRI Scientific Symposium, entitled, “The Effectiveness of Natural Products for Women’s Health.”

Presented by the University of Illinois (UIC) College of Pharmacy and the American Nutrition Association (ANA), the UIC College of Pharmacy auditorium was attended by a students and practicing pharmacists, nurses, chiropractors and Certified Nutrition Specialists.

The event featured a stellar line-up of world-class experts in natural products and women’s health. The speakers were:

Tori Hudson, N.D., Clinical Professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and Medical Director of A Woman’s Time.

Dr. Hudson’s presentation, entitled “Evidence-based Natural Solutions to Symptoms of Perimenopause and Menopause” busted some media-fed myths regarding black cohosh, in which she detailed its strong safety record and efficacy for peri-menopause and menopause symptoms.

Dr. Lubahn’s talk was entitled “Using Botanicals, Hedgehogs, and Estrogens in the Prevention of Human Disease,” in which he outlined studies showing experimental benefits against prostate cancer with high concentrations of genistein from soy, EGCG from green tea, curcumin and resveratrol, and low concentrations with the new botanicals under study, like sutherlandia (Lessertia frutescens), and how these plant compounds are able to hold back unwanted signaling in mouse and human prostate cancer cell lines, which researchers link to estrogen and which may point to benefits for cancers in women.

Dr. Lipski’s entertaining talk was entitled “Women and Digestive Issues: Focus on IBS, Constipation and Leaky Gut.” She gave a detailed discussion of the intestine’s impact on virtually every single health area, and covered such as topics as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), dysbiosis and depression, psychiatric symptoms and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, leaky gut and associated conditions, the benefits of bone broths and gut-healing foods, and supplements and dietary approaches to all of these conditions.

The NHRI is an independent, non-profit organization that supports science-based research on natural health and wellness. It is committed to informing consumers, scientists, the media, policymakers and legislators about scientific evidence on the usefulness and cost-effectiveness of diet, supplements and a healthy lifestyle to improve health and wellness, and reduce disease around the world.